


Does History Repeat Itself on a Clean Slate?

by Mayghan1



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Coping, F/M, Not Beta Read, Post-Campaign 1 (Critical Role), Slow Burn, mentions of vax's death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:08:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28245186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mayghan1/pseuds/Mayghan1
Summary: Keyleth needs an escort to Whitestone for Winter Crest.  Why did she choose Grog?
Relationships: Keyleth/Grog Strongjaw, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vex'ahlia, Scanlan Shorthalt/Pike Trickfoot
Kudos: 12





	Does History Repeat Itself on a Clean Slate?

**Author's Note:**

> This story will not stop bugging me so I am writing it.

**_Percy,_**

**_I need a favor. I have another letter attached for Grog, can you make sure he gets it, and understands the missive. So you don't panic (and let's be honest the note to Grog is going to gloss issues) I am fine but Derrig is unable to escort me back to Whitestone next month. I really want to be there for Winter's Crest, see the kids and of course you all. The thing is none of my advisors are okay with me leaving without an escort (You know as a leader, pick your battles. So I am trying.) Anyway there's not really anyone else I am willing to pull away from their family so I can see my mine. The advisors made a compromise. If I can get someone from Vox Machina to come here, meet the advisors and get their approval. The whole political bull shit thing. It may take a couple weeks, . Can you get Grog and see if he's willing to come? I know the trip can take a while, but I can see send someone who is willing to tree stride him here. Or if someone can transport him via transportation Circle that's fine too._ **

**_Always,_ **

**_Keyleth_ **

Keyleth sighed and looked at the blank parchment in front of her. What was she going to write? She and Grog had been friends for nearly a decade and a half now, and conversations weren't hard verbally, but writing to him was difficult. Not because she was at a lack of words, but because reading was not the Goliath's thing. In fact, when they travelled together as an adventuring party, he couldn't read at all. Now that everyone was retired and Grog spent much of his time either in Westruun or Whitestone, he was getting some reading assistance by the teachers for Percy and Vex's children in Whitestone, and Pike in Westruun. She finally decided if she printed and used small words it would be best, but also there was a very good chance Percy, Vex, Pike or Scanlan would be reading the letter to him, so there was something to be said about writing it for them as well.

**_Grog,_ **

**_I was hoping you would visit me in Zephrah. I would like an escort to Whitestone for Winter's Crest, but I need to introduce you to the Ashari elders and advisors as my escort. Please if you are willing, I can get a friend to port you here._ **

**_Thanks,_ **

**_Keyleth_ **

Keyleth sealed the letters, and then walked to her the town square of Zephrah looking for a specific person. As soon as she walked out of her home a very large raven cawed and was hopping on the ground in front of her. It had been ten years since her lover Vax'ildan, was killed and taken to the realm of the Raven Queen. And every day since then, this raven has visited her in Zephrah. Even after ten years, the sight of the bird made her heart ache, but she always spoke to the raven as if it was Vax.

"Hello, Vax. Just so you know Grog may be coming for a visit. Play nice, I really don't want to deal with a prank war between you two."

The raven looked at her, cocked it his head then blinked before flying up into a local tree. She shook her head wondering if she was actually crazy for talking to a bird then believing he understood and responded. She had thought about casting Speak with Animals on the raven many times over the years, but always stopped due to fear. What if the Raven Queen took offense and made Vax stop visiting? Or if it was an actual raven and not Vax at all? Or if he is actually a divine entity the spell may not work. Maybe she was in fact crazy, but this way she didn't lose her lover all together.

Lost in thought, Keyleth continued walking well past the square. "Chief? Is everything all right?" The voice familiar and gentle pulled out her out of the revelry. "Derrig!" She greeted with a smile. Derrig was one of the guards for Zephrah. In fact, he was her main guard if she had to leave town, even if it was to visit with the rest of her family. He is a family man, and she had given him the a break for the future Winter's Crest to spend time with his family, but now it was making her life difficult. She looked up and realized she had walked well past the town square, and was nearer the lake she walked around often. If she had told the truth that she was going to the Square and overshot it by nearly a quarter of a mile, Derrig would worry and cause her to be watched more closely and she'd be annoyed. "Everything is fine. I decided to walk to the lake and clear my head."

"Have you found a guard for next month? I can still cancel my plans."

"Your children need you here. I am sending a letter to Percy and Grog later today." She reassured him.

"All right let me know, I can still figure something out." He offered.

"No. Guard here, that is where I need you for now." Keyleth pressed harder, then after a few more moments of chit chat, mostly about his children, Keyleth was on a new mission to walk around the lake before heading back to her first plan. Finally, she got back to the town square, and found the elder human druid she was looking for.

"Sephone" Keyleth greeted, with a smile. Sephone Mostano was a human druid who had been in Zephrah for as long as Keyleth could remember. She had been a cook for the Voice of the Tempest for years, and when she got older it was and she decided it was time to retire. But then Sephone learned retirement was boring and she liked finding odd jobs to do, not for money or goods, but just to do something.

"Tempest. Keyleth." Sephone corrected herself. Keyleth had told her years ago, that they had known each other for all of Keyleth's life so there was no reason for formality. "Please tell me you have a job for me." She all but begged.

"Maybe. How to do you feel about traveling though?"

"Am I going to Whitestone? Please tell me I get to play in the snow." Sephone's eyes grew big and childlike.

"I have a letter for Percy and need to get it to him quickly. Of course, you can stay for a day or two to play in the snow." Keyleth explained.

"Well I have to stay at least a day anyway, but do you need a response immediatel?"

"A few days is fine. What would you like for payment?"

"The snow is enough, really. I can leave in a couple hours."

"Thank you," Keyleth stated.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was two days before she saw the shimmer of a portal in a tree. But much to her surprise she saw a white-haired man step through first, then Sephone, and the portal closed.

Keyleth was close enough to the favored tree for portals, that she saw her friend clearly. With confusion, she cocked her head. "Percy, what are you doing here?"

Sephone glared at the human in question. "She invited me, I swear. It must have slipped her mind to let you know. You won't cause any trouble bringing me." She mimicked, and Percy did have the decency to cringe.

Keyleth on the other hand burst out laughing. "I won't lie to you, Sephone. I did not invite him, but any member of Vox Machina is always welcome here, so the third part of that is in fact true. The other two were embellishments, but don't be mad. Percy always has purpose if he stoops to lying." She told the older human, as she reached out to hug Percy.

Sephone huffed and threw her hands up the then walked away. Keyleth did continue her hug on her friend for a bit longer,. "Percy, why are you here and lying to Sephone?" She asked. This was not the first time any of her found family came to visit unexpectedly, But it really had been years. The first three years after Vax was gone, it was almost a rotating door for Vox Machina, but has gotten a lot less.

"Letters would have taken a lot longer, and frankly you can't lie if I am here."

"Lie? Percy what would I lie about, and is Grog coming?"

"He wrote you a letter, with his answer." Percy replied, handing her a sealed envelope.

Smiling she opened the envelope. It was definitely written by their large friend,

" ** _OK, SEE U SOONE KEYLEFT."_**

**_GROG_ **

**_GRAND POOBAH DE DOINK_ **

It was a short letter, one with a few misspellings and all the s's were backwards, But she did feel a swell of pride in this reading this from him with very little help.

"Did you help him spell his title?" Keyleth asked on a laugh, knowing that was probably where he needed help..

"Actually Pike wrote it out for him and he practices it very hard. Honestly, he wrote this back without any help. Vex read your letter to him and he asked to answer back on his own," Percy explained as they walked through the town to her home.

"I will compliment him when he gets here. Did he tell you when he was coming?" 

"The day after I get home. I didn't want to leave Vex alone, and we don't exactly know when I will be back so we agreed when I get back the next day Gilmore will pop him over here."

"Okay, I can understand that. Now Percy why are you here and how long?" She asked, not trying to snap at him but wanting to get to the point.

Percy smiled, he missed his friend. "I'm worried about you, the letter made sense about politics and you made a good negotiation. But why did you pick Grog?"

"You obviously would have been first choice, but this vetting process could take a couple of weeks. You and Vex are getting ready for Winter Crest, and a new baby. You being here for a couple days is one thing, and you just said you didn't want to leave her alone for long anyway. Two weeks is far too long, and frankly this process is going to make it sound like I am not out of anyone's sight for the entire trip. Grog doesn't have as many attachments. and no children to take care of while babysitting me."

"None of us consider it babysitting you." Percy argued, then sighed. "But you're right, Grog has a little more time on his hands. Any of us are willing watch out for each other so I get it. When I get back, do you want me to move your room to the other wing or Grog to ours?"

"You're going to do either, even if I say neither."

Percy slowly nodded. "Yes, so why don't you tell me your preference, so everyone is happy."

"Move me to his wing, he lives there way more often than I do, and it never made sense for me to live in your family wing."

"You are the kids' aunt, and Vex's sister-in-law. There doesn't need to be a ceremony for that to be true,"

Keyleth smiled sadly. "None of that will be different, even if I am in a different wing,"

"We know," Percy agreed, but stayed quiet.

"By the way, how long are you staying?" She paused realizing what she said. "I mean you are always welcome, but..." Keyleth sighed,

Percy smirked, he missed his friend. She may have been a leader for a decade now, but she was still Keyleth. A little naivety, a little innocence and a whole lot of foot in mouth issues. "I know what you meant, And quite frankly, your wording was a lot nicer than Vex's telling me to come see you."

"Are you hovering?" Keyleth asked. The last time Vex had kicked Percy out of Whitestone, while she was pregnant, was her second pregnancy.

"She's sicker with this one than she was with Freddy. Even Trinket is hovering though." Percy defended.

"Yes, but when Trinket gets annoying he can go in the necklace for a few hours. " Keyleth pointed out.

"I think she has tried using it on me," Percy laughed, "So when Sephone showed up and the letter seemed to be missing some information, Vex told me I was coming back with Sephone, to check on you, and give her some room. She was the one who suggested the trade between Grog and I. And I was told to stay at least over night, two days if you needed any help."

"I'm sure I can find something to for you." Keyleth promised.

Percy looked out the window and saw the raven perched watching them. He smiled sadly, thinking of their lost friend. "Keyleth, I need to let you know something."

She sighed, already knowing what he was going to say, and really had gotten to the point she was okay with it. "The new baby is going to be named after Vax if it is an a boy." She guessed.

"Vax'ildan Shaun." He confirmed. "But we are considering calling him Shaun. Vex is not sure how she feels about knowing when she calls out that name another face will be answering."

She nodded. "I am glad he will have a namesake, and Gilmore will be over the moon too. Even if it is a middle name." Keyleth smiled genuinely, and then noticed the confusion "Percy, I have known for a long time you name the kids after family who has passed, Vax was always on your list, and selfishly I admit I am glad he's on the later side, but I am glad he's here now or will be if this is a boy."

"Yeah, it was too fresh for a long time, but it feels right now. " Percy agreed.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and love are authors warm fuzzies, please share


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